Michele Paulatto

Michele Paulatto is a NERC Independent Research Fellow at Imperial College London's Department of Earth Science & Engineering within the Faculty of Engineering. His research focuses on active volcanic and tectonic processes at plate margins, integrating geophysical imaging, rock physics, and laboratory experiments. He holds a PhD in Marine Geophysics from the University of Southampton and has held postdoctoral positions at the University of Oxford and Géoazur in France. His work includes studies on the Lesser Antilles subduction zone, seismic imaging of magma systems, and fluid dynamics in subduction zones.

Education:

• PhD in Marine Geophysics, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, 2011
• MSc in Physics, University of Trieste, Italy, 2007

Research Interests: Paulatto specializes in marine geophysics, tectonics, volcano seismology, and seismic tomography. His current project explores magma/water interactions in oceanic lithosphere using advanced imaging techniques. Recent studies include deformation mechanisms in the Lesser Antilles, fluid circulation impacts on seismicity, and imaging magma chambers beneath volcanoes like Montserrat and Santorini.

Scientific Contributions: He has pioneered seismic tomography methods to map subduction zone processes, including slab dehydration and mantle wedge dynamics. His work on the 2016 Ecuador earthquake highlighted the role of subduction relief in megathrust slip. Paulatto also investigates hydrothermal systems at mid-ocean ridges and volcanic microseismicity as precursors to eruptions.

Grants & Awards: Recipient of the AXA Postdoctoral Fellowship (2014-2016) and currently holds a NERC Independent Research Fellowship. He leads a PhD project funded by the SSCP DTP and SmartSolo on teleseismic imaging of active volcanoes.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with international teams including the National Oceanography Centre, Géoazur, and the University of Oxford. Active in field experiments like the SEA-CALIPSO volcano imaging project at Montserrat and seismic surveys in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.